Exhausted thinking about diabetes and plan not to; is that ok?

The aspect I miss most about my pre-diabetic life from five months ago, was living life without a disease renting so much space in my head. Iím tired of THINKING about diabetes. Iím 38, newly married, and want to live my life without the anxiety that comes with diabetes thoughts.

I appreciate folks who spend their time on forums, social media and diabetic message boards, but when I see twitter pages of diabetics who make it their entire identity, I feel sadness and also self doubt if thatís what my life has to look like or should look like?

Please donít read this as a catalyst to letting go of my management of the disease. I plan to still be on top of my diet, health, doctor visits, however....is it possible to live with this condition and not live life through the lens of a diabetic?

Hello and welcome to DD. I'm a T2 on a ketogenic diet and no diabetes meds, so apart from testing my BG first thing in the morning, I don't need to be worrying about my diabetes at all except when I eat out at a place I haven't visited before, when I will need to look carefully at the menu to make a sensible selection.

You don't need to worry all day every day about your pre-diabetes, but it would be sensible to occasionally test your fasting and/or two hour post meal BG to catch any increase in your BG numbers before it becomes T2.

Latest HbA1c 31mmol/mol (5.0%) October 2018.

Nutritional epidemiology is basically the board game equivalent of an Ouija boardówhatever you want it to say, it will say Ė Peter Attia

In the range of things I "worry" about diabetes doesn't make the top 20.
I test maybe 3-4 times a month.
I frequent this forum to crack wise and share my experience with others that are struggling.
It's okay to live your life

Actually, I am Type 2 as of five months ago. I meant, my life before having diabetes was simplistic as far as head space. Now, as a T2D, it’s complicated, with focus on food, when to exercise, weather, appointments, testing and on top of that, we’re expected to always remain stress-free, which I find laughable. I think part of the stress management for me would come by way of NOT giving so much thought to the disease. That’s not to mean make unhealthy choices, it means to make diabetes an after after thought in my life.

I find most diabetics either pretend like they don’t have it and lead unhealthy lifestyles. Or it is their ENTIRE identity, and consumes their day to day existence. I can’t relate to either.

You can manage your diabetes at any level that suits you. There are lots of ways of managing it between the two extremes you mention. Once you find out what foods you can safely eat, then food doesn't need to be any more complicated or time-consuming than it was before diabetes, apart from selecting meals at some restaurants. Same with exercise. I'm not sure how weather and appointments become more difficult after diagnosis. Can you perhaps tell us more about how you find them affected by diabetes?

As I mentioned in my first reply, my own diabetes doesn't need much attention at all.

Ok relax do you have anxiety, you can live long and healty life. I am retired or I would not be on as much. This was not around 37 years ago you are putting the cart before the horse. I understand are you reading all the negatives? First advice is stop it, tough but please listen to people here. I will be 69 this year, I know It's not a lot but I drive and shop and am typing on my tablet with no glasses. You can do well you just need to take control please ask lots of questions about anything diabetic related. Were going to Brason, Mo in 18 days for our 47 th anniversary just do what you said you would, you will be fine.

Any chronic illness will define you if you let it. I happen to have T2 diabetes but it is not me. I have C O P D bit it is not me. I have CHF but it is not me. Through the years I have had to make some adjustments in what I do or how I do them but the basic ME is still the basic me.
I'm a glass half full kind of person.

Iím the odd one out but Iím working on it. Yes, it consumes me. Day in and day out. I worry. Non-stop. But I acknowledge that is an issue and am trying to do better! Life was definitely more simple before but I know without a doubt Iím healthier now. At this point Iím just working on calming my fears and just knowing that I know how to make good choices. I no longer take my meter with me when I go to the pool with my son. I pack some food for me and maybe have a bite or two of whatever he gets when weíre there and just go with it. I test before dinner and then after dinner those days and Iím comfortable with that. I do still test multiple times per day otherwise bc Iím still testing out foods and how they affect me and if that affect is different at lunch v dinner, is it different if I exercised before or after I ate. So I do think Iíll relax a bit once I have figured it out and am more comfortable with knowing what Iím looking for and signs. Iíve only been testing as a pre-diabetic for a month.

Rather than counting anything, I chose to ditch wheat, sugar, rice and potatoes. After a month I began experimenting and discovered I could handle rice and potatoes, though in smaller portions and not daily.

Once I established a safe menu, via a fair bit of testing, I was able to limit my testing to one fasting on Monday Morning and maybe a couple of post dinner tests a week when I stray outside of the safe boundaries. For the most part the thinking that goes into meals is what I want tonight, not how many carbs or whatever else you choose to count.

I enjoy the extra walks and look at that time as an investment in my health, that's far more entertaining than anything on the tube.

Yes by all means enjoy your life, let your Diabetes management become ingrained to the point you do not have to think about it.